Means for destroying marine growths impeding navigation



March 3, 1931.

E. B. ALLEN MEANS FOR DESTROYING MARINE GROWTHS IMPEDING NAVIGATION Filed Oct. 4. 1928 JUL-.

lllllll m /3 t l WITNEssgs 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR dirai-d lle,

ATTORNEY March 3, 1931. E. B. ALLEN 1,795,003

MEANS FOR DESTROYING MARIN GROWTHS IIIPEDING )L AVIGA'J'ION Filed Oct. 4, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 wrTNl-:ssEs i q n dim/35,2%@ @M "BY Mv@ N ArroRNEY Mardi 3 1931. E. B. ALLEN 1,795,003

MEANS FOR'DESTROYING MARINE GRowTHs IMPEDING NAVIGATION Filed Oct, 4, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR wnNEssx-:s i Edward lit/Ille,

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1931 IP A'TEN'T 1OF F ICE -EDV/'ARD `B. ALLEN, 0F DUNNELLON, FLORIDA MEANS 4'FOR DESTROYING Il'lIARIhTEl GROWTHS IMPEDING NAVIGATION Applicatoniled October 4, 1928. Serial No.`310,411.

i This invention has -for its object fthe-destruction of i'loatingfmarine .growths such as the rapidly groWingyWater hyacinth and simiflar `loating aquatic growths, which obstruct thesurfaceof navigable Watersandimpede,

.iinotprevent, navigation.

It hasbeenthepractice heretofore to gather andremove `the growth Vfrom thearea to be navigated, :the jplant-sor Weeds being `revdeposited .at outlying' points von the -Water 'suriace.

Usually, however, Iit YWorks 'back with Windanditidezto againcover the area toibe navigated. Theenormous amount and Aheavy Weight of thegrowthhas'made the cost of vtrfansferringiit -to Eland prohibitive, and the flack. of. availability of land Where.. its deposit Yis Ynot objectionable 'further increasing'the costxo'f andgprohibitingthis courseof action.

4:[fthe lWater xhyacinthor vsimilar floating aquatic .growth is cut up, "finely rcomminuted and strewn upon-the surface otthe water,

it will decay `and-sinlrtoithe bottom, Aand thereby be destroyed. Myinvention is predicated upon and ffunctionstoaccomplish this Y result economically and'by ellicient'mechanic'alaids.

lGrenera-lly stated, the described method of destroying such floating aquatic growths is, in accordance 'with Athe present invention,

used aby Y'a :novel Water vehicle embOClYng .plant cuttingfmeans, comminuting, land dis- With the. above'noted and other objects in view, vthe invention consists incertain novel features-of construction and combinations and arrangements ofrparts as areimore fully `described hereinafter and p'ointed'outlin the claims.V The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed speci- Afication Whichis `to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming parta/thereof, and in which:

Fignrel is a longitudinal vertical section througha Water vehicleconstructe'd for and equipped with the growth destroyingrmeans of the present invention, this section `being takenapproxima'tely on the line 1-1 offFibure 2. u

posts l6 support a rooting v7.

The courseof inovemenooil thevehiclefis directed by-ruddersS having hingingbars 9 supported'in bearings at the rear= end otcach Aof the `pontoon sections,.antl provided `with forwardly inturned end cranlts lO Ypivotallv connected formovement inunisonbya long link'bar -ll traversingthe pontoon sections attheir rear ends.

The vehicle is propelled through an elongated bladedorpaddle Wheelv llniounted on a shaft 172, whose ends Vare appropriately journaled in the inner sidesoffthe:pontoon sections. Poweris supplied to rotatethepadA dle Wheel, as Well as other mechanism-Which Will 4be flater described, through a suitable motor, such as the internal combustion engine lll inountedon top of one-of the pontoons Ll, andhaving its drive shaft l5 supported in suitable bearings and mounting duplex fly Wheels 16 inspaced relation. Intermediate ofzthe flywheels, theshaftinoimts a sprocket gear 17 '(Figures l and 3), whichirotatcs through a snrocketchain connection ilt and a sprocket gear 19, a long-shaft E20 mounting'gearslQ and sui'iported atits ends in. suit- `able bearings on the pontoon sections, as U shown in Figure l. This shaft-traverses the .space betWeentlre-pontoon sections and cai'- ries sprocket gearsQl from n-"hiclrpower is transinlttedrby chains QQ-to alined sprocket -.gears23 onthe ends ot thelpaddle wheel inwardlyof and adjacent to thepontoon sec tions. The blades of thepaddle Wheehiwhen power` driven through. these connections, not only serveftopropelthe vehicle through the Water, but, asvvill' be seenlater, function also to disperse to the rear of the vehicle the float-V ing water plant or weed growth cut and comminuted by mechanism which will now be deo' scribed.

The inner sides of the pontoon sections adjacent to their forward ends are recessed outwardly, as at 24, Figures 143, to seat bearing plates 25, which, as shown, are of'triangular shape and have pairs of parallel vertical slots 26 therein through which extend the shanks of guiding studs 27 outstanding from the inner recessed side faces of the pontoon sections, and guiding the plates for vertical bodily movement. These plates'are located at the .forward end of the pontoon sections, their pointed upper ends extending through slots in the flooring and being coupled to clevisos 28, in which are swivellfcd the lower ends of jacking screw shanks whose upper ends extend througl'i threaded bores inv cross bars 3() of suitable jack frames, such as shown in Figure 3, and through asin-mounting yoke arm 3l. The jacking screws'are suitably rotated to raise and lower in said arinsfand yoke to in turn move the bearing plates vertically, as by an intermittent grip ratchet 1nechanism32 of conventional design. Y

Mounted and fixed upon the inner faces of the bearing plates 25 are elongated bearing blocks 83, whichy incline downwardly and rearwardly. At the lower ends, they .are

vprovided with sockets 84 to receive and journal the ends of a shaft 35, mounting'a lower fixed comminuting roll or cylinder 36, which spans the space between the pontoon Sections, and has its periphery formed with a circumferentially extending series of longi- `tudinal growth cutting ribs or teeth of inverted il-shape in cross section, presenting longitudinal knife or cutting edges.k The teeth are shown in detail in Figure 4. rlhe shaft at each of its ends, inwardly of the bearings 34, Vmounts sprocket gear 38 connected by sprocket chain 39 with an alined sprocket gear 40 mounted on a shaft 4l traversing the pontoons 14, and vyournalled. at its vends in appropriate bearings'42 thereon.

This shaft also carries at one end, adjacent a sprocket gear 40, a second sprocket gear 43,V A(Figure 2) looped over a correspondingly toothed. sprocket gear 44 on a stub' shaft 45 mounted-inbearings' on the pontoon 4ndjaceut'and parallel with the motor shaft l5. rlhis stub shaft at its inner end carries toothed gear 46 meshing with a 'second toothed gcar47 on the motor shaft l5.

' Motion is thereby transmitted from the motor shaft to shaft 4l, and from shaft 4l to the lower fixed comminuting roll 36.

TA second and cooperating comminuting roll 48,*having similar longitudinal teeth 49 upon its peripheralsurface, is loosely mounted at the ends of its shaft 50 in an elongated 'slot 5l extending diagonally Adownwardly and rearwardly in the bearing block 33, and

yieldingly held by spring pressure intergeared with the toothed periphery of the lower fixed roll 36. Rotation of the lower gear through the power driven connections described is in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure l, and effects a reverse rotation of the proper comminuting roll 48 intergeared therewith.

Y Y Extending transversely of the pontoons, forwardly ofthe comminutingl rolls 36-48, is a bladed feeding member r52, whose shaft 53 is journaled at'its ends in bearings formed in the inner faces of the bearing plates 25, and its blades are positioned to feed the floating water growth between the connninuting 1'olls36-4S. rlhe shaft 53 of the bladed feeding member, adjacent to each of its journaled ends,r carries a sprocket gear 54.

The front ends of the pontoon sections 4 Vare bevelled downwardly and rearwardly as shown in Figurel, and the flooring 5 is extendedforwardly therebeyond to provide an overhang'55 traversing the pontoons and projecting outwardly therefrom. This overhang not only serves to prevent the cut water growth from pushing upover the front ends of the pontoons and escaping the comminuting rolls, but serves as a support for a long 1nember'52, andto certain growth cutting means projecting'outwardly from the front ends of the pontoon sections. The shaft 56, to this end, mounts aV sprocket gear 58, Vand is rotated through a sprocket chain 59 extending to a sprocket gear 60 on the motor drive shaft l5, asbest seen in Figure 2. Adjacent and inwardly of the bearings 57 the shaft Y 56 mounts, ink alinement with the sprocket gear-s754 of the bladed feeding member, a pair of sprocket gears 61 which transmit` motion thereto through the connecting sprocket chains 62.

A'pair of approximately triangular frames 63 underlie', and extend beyond the overhang 55, and are hingedl at their upper rearends, as at 64 (Fig. l) to the front of each pontoon section.'l At their forwardgconverging ends, they "are formed withbearings-G, in which are j ournaled shafts 6 6, mounting between the side'members of the frame toothed cut- Gil .and .their bladed feeder -member .iently a flexible cable 7l may connect at 'its The frames 63 with their cuttingibl'ades (3T may be lifted upon their hinges Gato adjust theelevation of-the cuttingblades similarly tothe adjustment of the comminutingrollsI Convenlower end through a clevis 72 with a'post 73,

Vrllhe toothed `cuttingI `disks 6T, it will be noted, project outwardly from the front of Vthe lpo'iitoon sections, and enclose therebetween an area greater than the area between these sections, sro-that a relatively large area of water .surface` and of floating plant oi weed growths are encompassed therebetween.

As the toothed disks rotate and cut this growth, the 'pontoon sections, forming what I have termed the water vehicle, are moved forwardly through their propelling water wheels, and the cut floating growth is guided rearwardly between the inclined guide surfaces formed by the sides 63 of the cutter supporting frames. Obviously and as shown, the cutters, the feeder member 52 and the coii'iminuting rolls are partially immersed in water, the lower comminuting roll being entirely immersed, or substantially so. rlhe positions of these parts will be initially adjusted in correspondence to the load on the vehicle to position the cutting blades at the proper depth, and the bladed feeder and comminuting rolls at the proper elevation to permit the bladed feeder to catch and feed the cut growth inwardly between the rotating toothed comininuting rolls, which effectively breal; it up into smaller portions, which pass rearwardly from the rolls into the space between the pontoons, and are caught and dispersed rearwardly of the pontoons by the blades of the paddle wheel. These crushed and cut up portions of grow-th will be strewn upon the surface of the water, and will decay and subsequently sink to the bottom out of the way of navigation. This is particularly true of the floating aquatic plant known as the water hyacinth, which is of extremely rapid growth and a serious menace to navigation. While the described invention has been conceived primarily to deal with this typo of aquatic plant, it, obviously, may be employed to deal with oating water growths generally. Y

Vhile the described construction of water vehicle and its operating mechanisms represents a preferable structural embodiment, it is intended as illustrative rather than ie strict-ive of the invention, and structural modification and rearrangement to conform to varying conditions of manufacture and use are,itherefore, contemplated in consonance witli'tlie spirit of the invention andthe scope of the appended claims.

`Havingthus fully described the invention. what is'claimed is: l

ilidevice of the character described comprising a floating water vehicle havingr spaced pontoon sections with a water area therebetween, growth cutting-means mounted at'tbe forward ends of said sections at opposite sides ott-said water area, and growthcomi nsides of said water aiea, and power driven growth comminuting means rearwardly of and between said cutting implements supported by said pontoons within the area therebetween.

v3. A device of the characterdescribed coinprising a floating water vehicle embodyinfr spaced floating sections with a water areii therebetween, growth cuttingnieansmounted at the forward end of each section at opposite sides of said'water area, and growth commi- Anuting ymeans rearwardly of and spanning said cutting means supported by said floatinfr sections and-positioned therebetween within said water area.

A' device ofthe character described comprising-a floating -water vehicle embodying spaced pontoon sections -with a water hrta therebetween, growth cuttingnieans mounted on and extending oiltwardlyand forwardly from fthe front end of each pontoon section atopposite sides of said water area, power driven growth coinininutingmeans supported between said `sectionslrearwardly of said cutting means and `within `said and means -for guiding the growth severed by said cutting means rearwardly therefrom to said comminutingl means.

5. A device of the character described comprising a. floating water 4vehicle embodyine fubstantially parallel spaced floating sections with a water arca therebetween. ii-owth cutting means mounted on -and eftendine' outwardly from the forward end of each seni tion at opposite sides of said water area,V

`l i l l tialiy parallel space'd'floating 'sections-with 'atei' area, i

a water area therebetween, growth cutting wardly thereto by said surfaces.

7. A device of the character described comprising a water vehicle embodying substantially parallel spaced pontoon sections having a water area therebetween, growth cut-ting implements mounted at the forward ends of each section at opposite sides of said water area, power driven intergeared toot-hed comminuting rolls mounted between and spanning said sections forwardly thereof and rearwardly of said cutting implements and positioned within said water area, guiding surfaces extending from said implements rearwardly toward said rolls to direct the cut growth rearwardlyl to said rolls, and a bladed power driven wheel mounted between and spanning said pontoon sections rearwardly thereof and acting on the water area between said sections for dispersing rearwardly from between said sections the growth passed from said rolls.

8. A device of the character described comprising a water vehicle embodying substantially parallel spaced pontoon sections with a water area therebetween, power driven growth cutting members mounted at andV projecting outwardly from the forward end of each section and spaced to include therebetween the water area between the pontoons7 power driven intergeared comminuting rolls mounted between and spanning the space between the pontoon sections forwardly thereof and rearwardly of said cutting members and positioned within said water area to receive therebetween the growth cut by. said members and passingrearwardly therefrom, and a power driven paddle wheel for propelling the vehicle mounted between yand spanning the pontoons rearwardly thereof to act upon the water area between said sections and functioning also to disperse to the rear-.of the pontoons the cut growthkcoinminuted by said rolls and passing rearward-y ly therefrom to the water area in advance of said paddle wheel.

9. A deviceof the character described comprising a water vehicle embodying substantially parallel spacedrpontoon sections with a water area therebetween, power driven growth cutters extending outwardly from the forward end of each pontoon sect-ion and spaced to include therebetween the water comminuted area between the pontoons, said cutters having supporting means presenting guiding surfaces directing the cut growth rearwardly to the water area between said sect-ions, power driven intergeared comminuting rolls mounted and spanning the space between the pontoon sections forwardly thereof and rearwardly of said guiding surfaces and positioned within the water area between said sections to receive therebetween the cut growth, a power driven bladed feeder positioned forwardly of said rolls to direct the 'i cut growth therebetween, means for verticallyv adjusting saidvrollsand feeder on the pontoon sections, and a power driven paddle wheel mounted between'and spanning said sections rearwardly thereof and acting on the water area kbetween said sections to propel the vehicle and to disperse to the'rear of said vehicle the cut growthl comminuted by and discharged from said rolls. Y

EDWARD B. ALLEN. 

